Controlling fuel of internal combustion engines



March 24, 1936.

v. REYNOLDS 2,035,191 CONTROLLING FUEL OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Q Filed March 6, 1933 Patented Mar. 24, 1936 PATENT OFFICE CONTROLLING FUEL OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Vernon P. Reynolds, Chicago, Ill. Application March 6, 1933, Serial No. 659,735

8 Claims.

This invention relates to means for controlling the stream of gaseous fluid in an internal combustion engine- An internal combustion engine in an automobile has long been known to exhibit a peculiar phenomenon when the fuel supply is suddenly cut down and the vehicle is brought to a sudden stop, namely that the engine simultaneously stops. The present invention has for its chief object the in prevention of such occurrences. It also facilitates the starting of the engine, in both warm and cold weather. Other objects are to provide control features which may be in the form of modifications of .or which are substitutional for 15 those already installed, to accomplish the objects hereof, and to provide simple and low-cost means for these purposes. It is an object to accomplish these results automatically. Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

20 When an automobile is running at its normal traveling speeds the appropriate degree of partial vacuum caused by the engine cylinders and pistons and communicated to the intake manifold is the equivalent of about seventeen inches 25 of mercury. When the operator suddenly closes the throttle-valve in the passageway leading from the carburetor to the cylinders the suction or partial vacuum first suddenly rises to say fifteen inches of mercury; but since the engine,

30 while running at-that speed, cannot get sufilcient fuel through the by-pass means always provided for idling purposes, the failure of explosions and the fact that the engine is now running against its own compression causes the engine to slow 35 down very rapidly, and, as mentioned, will frequently stop. The reason for this, as I understand it, is that the slowing down of the engine is so rapid that the degree of partial vacuum in the fuel passageway, having first instantly risen to 40 say fifteen inches of mercury, immediately drops to something which is considerably more than say twenty inches of mercury, namely less thanthe degree of partial vacuum at which the engine will normally idle. That is to say, carburetors are ordinarily made and adjusted with bypass means whereby the by-pass for fuel, when the throttle-valve is normally closed, will keep the engine idling at a rate which would produce say five miles of travel per hour, and under these 50 conditions the partial vacuum between the throttle-valve and the cylinders is at about twenty inches of mercury. Now when this partial vacuum' suddenly drops more than this degree the engine dies for want of fuel, because the drop in 55 the partial vacuum is too rapid to permit the intake of sumcient gas to keep the engine at idling speed.

This invention prevents that unfavorable and often dangerous phenomenon in several ways, 90 and according to all of them the means effecting the result are under the control of the partial vacuum in the fuel passageway, and the control device works automatically and adjusts itself whereby when the partial vacuum suddenly drops, due to the rapid slowing down of the en- 5 gine, an additional supply of gas is permitted whereby, if the engine should even reach the stage where it is merely turning over, enough fuel willbe drawn in to keep it alive. That much being accomplished the engine starts speeding up, due to a relatively large supply of fuel, and will reach its normal idling speed of the equivalent of say five miles of travel per hour, and then these means so adjust themselves as to maintain that idling speed.

Another form of the means herein disclosed will preferably contain the advantageous feature just above described, and be in addition thereto, but may be used without conjunction with that feature. It operates by permitting a greater flow of fuel during those first brief periods of time when the partial vacuum rises and then drops. That is to say, when the throttle-valve is suddenly closed the immediately ensuing increase in the partial vacuum (due to the fact that the engine is still running by its own momentum at a relatively high speed) causes an auxiliary valve to open to admit more fuel; but the amount of fuel thus admitted is only sufficient to help the engine through its immediate gasping-for-breath difiiculty, and this auxiliary valve closes automatically when the partial vacuum falls to somewhere around twenty inches of mercury. Thus the engine has been permitted to slow down more gradually than without this last-mentioned provision. But the engine may continue to slow down below its normal idling rate-for it all happens very rapidlyand it is-therefore advantageous to have the first-mentioned feature present also, which supplies additional fuel when the 40 engine is running below the normal idling rate.

In the l drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation partly broken away showing an internal combustion engine and which may be considered as being installed in an automobile, part of the engine walls being broken away, the figure showing the carburetor, the passageway-forming means and lever parts for controlling the'throttle valve;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section as on the lines 2-2 of Figs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section showing features of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of parts of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a face view of a modified form of butterfly throttle-valve; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of same on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a face vlew'of another modified form of butterfly valve;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of same on the line 88 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 shows another modified form of such butterfly valve in medial vertical section.

It is to be understood that the butterfly valves of the modified forms may be substituted for the one shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 and are to be taken as being in combination with all of the engine parts of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the same as if those parts were specifically illustrated in connection with each of the modified forms.

For the purposes of this description the device of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 will be called the preferred form.

Turning to Fig. 1, the engine l0 may be considered to be of any ordinary or approved construction. The passageway-forming pipe having a manifold extension ||a for the several cylinders, and the carburetor i2, may" also be considered standard or ordinary, and, in general, all that I have disclosed herein that is specifically new is in the throttle-valve itself and in the combination of the same with engine parts. I show the combination of same with the engine because the operation of the valve depends upon the operation of the engine.

In Fig. 3 the valve-controlling ducts l8, |8a,

l9, and 20 are also standard or well known and these ducts constitute means for supplying additional fuel to the engine for idling, and are one form of by-pass means whereby when the throttlevalve is normally closed there will still be means for supplying fuel for idling.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the butterfly valve l4 may be considered standard and ordinary except with respect to an opening cut therethrough at l5, which opening is occupied by a closure l6 of the same shape and fitting therein. The closure i6 is carried by an arm I! which is rigid upon a shaft 20 extending through and movable to rock in half of the hollow butterfly valve shaft 2|. The throttle lever 22 (Fig. 2) is rigid with shaft 2| while the auxiliary valve lever 23 is rigid with inner shaft 20. Fig. 4 shows an adjusting screw 24 threaded in lever arm 23 and an expansion coiled spring 25 between this adjusting screw and lever 22. The screw 26 is a stop which limits the closing movement of the butterfly valve as a whole. Figs. 3 and 4 show that closure I6 is standing open when the butterfiy valve is normally closed and closure i6 is caused to stand open by the spring 25. It may not open more than the desired small amount by reason of the stop 21 on arm l1, Fig. 3.

The operation of the device of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive is such that when the engine speed drops to less than idling speed following closing of the throttle-valve i4 the spring 25 (Fig. 4) maintains the closure H5 in its open position as shown in Fig. 3 and thus an additional amount of fuel is permitted to enter there, causing the engine to pick up speed. The adjustment of spring 25 is such that when the normal idling speed is reached the suction is such that closure i6 is drawn into the opening l5, and then the engine depends upon the usual by-pass means for getting its supply for idling. Should the engine again tend to die and the vacuum decrease, closure l6 will again open and repeat the cycle.'

Turning to Figs. 5 and 6, the butterfly throttlevalve 30 has an elongated slot 3| reaching from the axis to one edge where by-pass means are shown at 32 and consist merely of cutting away a small portion of the butterfly valve body to provide that it shall never close entirely, so that the engine may idle. This is an ordinary bypass means. Just below this elongated rectangular opening 3| is a. thin fiat leaf spring 33 riveted at 34, the spring 33 being deflected slightly to be normally below the opening 3|, and spring 33 fits the opening 3| nicely. As shown in Fig. 6, that opening 3| is normally open just as opening |5 in Figs. 2 and 3 is normally open, and spring 33 will be drawn into the opening 3| to close it under the same conditions prevailing when closure l6 coines into closing position, that is when the partial vacuum increases to say twenty inches of mercury, to permit the engine to idle.

The difference in results in Figs. 5 and 6 is that spring 33 may pass upward through opening 3|, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6. The leaf spring 35 will normally hold leaf spring 33 in its closing position, but when the initial sudden rise in the partial vacuum takes place, already referred to, to say fifteen inches of mercury, spring 35 will be flexed to permit spring or closure 33 to open in that upward direction. The screw 36 adjusts the tension of spring 35, so that the operations may take place at predetermined conditions of the partial vacuum, thus admitting more air and fuel, until the partial vacuum gradually reduces to twenty inches of mercury, permitting the spring 33 to close. If the partial vacuum continues to decrease, the spring 33 will drop below the opening 3|, as described, if the engine tends to die, bringing it back to idling speed with a partial vacuum of twenty inches of mercury.

Turning to Figs. '7 and 8, the butterfly valve marked as a whole 40 consists of two parts A and B hinged together, and the part B is a leaf-like part of the valve body which may move relative to the part A on the hinge connection. In Fig.- 8 the part B is shown as downwardly inclined and is therefore in what is its open position, which it normally maintains by its own weight. It is in its closed position when on the same plane with the part A. It may not open more than the desired small amount because of the stop 39 extending to contact the part A. The notch 4| in part B is a by-pass provision to take care of the normal idling. The leaf spring 42, the tension of which is adjustable by screw 43, normally restrains the upward movement of, leaf B at the closing position, which occurs when the engine is developing the normal partial vacuumof say twenty inches of mercury when the engine is idling, but spring 42 may yield when the partial vacuum is initially greater than such twenty inches, and the plate B will then assume its dotted-line position in Fig. 8, where it is restrained from further movement by the stops 44. The pull is first against gravity and then gravity and spring in this form. The action and results on this excess-vacuum movement are the same in eifect as described with respect to Figs. 5 and 6. Only a small additional amount of fuel is permitted by the final upward movement of plate B.

In Fig. 9 the butterfly valve 45 has a tube 46 extending therethrough, with spiders at its ends providing openings 41 below and 48 above, while the stem 49 is guided by the spiders, this stem having a large head 50 at the bottom adapted to close the openings 41, and a small screw head .weight of head 50 being overcome by sufiicient suction. Its functions are like those of Figs.

'tice in particular installations.

lized in existing cars The device of Figs. 2 and 3 permits adjustment of the spring as 25 outside the passageway, which is of advantage in practice. Some of the other forms are simpler and may be preferred in prac- I have shown the present invention as beingin direct connection or association with the butterfly valve usually constituting the throttlevalve of an internal combustion engine. When the invention is so applied it calls for but slight modification of existing practice and may be utiby merely inserting a new valve body of this type in place of the old one removed. The invention is not limited, however,

to such application, ;nd in view of this disclosure it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the principles involved and by which the results are attained may be embodied'in various other ways.

I therefore contemplate as being included in this invention all such variations, changes and departuresfrom what is thus specifically illustrated and described as fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim: I

1-. A movable valve for the intake passageway of an internal combustion engine and being adapted to be positioned in a passageway containing a stream of gaseous said valve including a butterfly-valve body carrying a valve member mounted thereon for a relatively small range of movement whereby when the valve is moved normally to close the same said member may assume a position leaving the valve as a whole partially open, said member being normally open and under the influence of the rate of flow of the gaseous stream in said passageway whereby it will be moved thereby into a position whereby the valve as a whole is normally closed.

2. A valve for the intake passageway of an internal. combustion engine producing partial vacuum in said intake passageway, the valve body being adapted to be movable in such passageway to control the stream of gaseous fuel for the engine produced by such partial vacuum, said valve having auxiliary valve means adapted to open under the influence of the partial vacuum to permit a flow of gaseous fuel therethrough when the valve as a whole is in closed position and the partial vacuum in the passageway is either greater or less than that appropriate to the normal operation of the engine.

3. A movable butterfly valve for the intakepassageway of an internal combustion engine, said valve having an opening therethrough, a leaf 4 spring secured at one end to the valve with its free end movable into' the opening to substantial- Ly close the same, said leaf spring being normally positioned on one side of the opening to leave fuel for the engine,

said opening open and being movable through the opening to the opposite side thereof against its own resiliency first to close and then to open the opening, and a second leaf spring secured at one end to the valve and having its free end pressing upon the first leaf spring when the latter moves through the opening, said second leaf terfly valve is in normally closed position, and

auxiliary valving means carried by said butterfly valve and apart from the by-pass for permitting additional fuel to pass the butterfly valve when the butterfly valve is in normally closed position, said means being responsive to increase in partial vacuum in the passage to close the last mentioned means while leaving the by-pass open.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein the auxiliary valving means carried by the butterfly valve includes a leaf spring normally flexed to permit the passage of said additional fuel when the butterfly valve is in closed position and movable against its own resiliency underthe influence of the increase in partial vacuum.

6. The structure of claim 4 wherein the auxiliary valving means carried by the butterfly valve includes a member actuated by gravity to position to pemiit the passage of said additional fuel and movable against the force of gravity under the influence of the increase in partial vacuum.

'7. A controllable butterfly valve for 'the passageway between an internal combustion engine and its carburetor, said valve having an opening therethrough, a leaf spring secured at one end to the valve with .its free end movable into the opening to substantially close the same, said leaf spring being normally positioned to leave said opening open and be movable through the opening to the opposite side thereof against its own resiliency first to close and then to open the opening, and a second leaf spring secured at one end to the valve on the side opposite the carburetor and having its free end pressing upon the first leaf spring when the latter moves through the opening, said second leaf spring resiliently restraining the movement of the first said leaf spring through the opening.

8. In a controllable butterfly valve for the passageway between an internal combustion engine and its carburetor, said passageway being provided with a by-pass for permitting the passage of gaseous fuel through the passageway even when the butterfly valve is closed, the combination of an automatically operating auxiliary valve carried by said butterfly valve for admitting fuel therethrough when the butterfly valve is normally closed, said automatically operating auxiliary valve being responsive to suction in said passageway, said auxiliary valve having a closed position intermediate the limits of its full range of movement and an open position at each of the limits of its full range of movement, said "open positions being on opposite sides of said 

